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Mon 3
Harry Potter Trivia The Bell House; 6:30pm; $10
The Dark Mark will be out over Brooklyn, as die-hard fans of the Harry Potter books gather at the Bell House for several rounds of complex trivia. Study up on your Quidditch rules, Order of the Phoenix membership rosters and charms if you want to be ready to duel with the city's fiercest Potterheads.
Bowl Hashanah Brooklyn Bowl; 10am; $100
Head to Brooklyn Bowl for experimental Jewish High Holy Days services featuring meditation, prayer and musical accompaniment from the Sway Machinery’s Jeremiah Lockwood and Yeah Yeah Yeah’s Brian Chase.
We the Heroes Ball Rockbar; 7pm; $7
Queer fans gather at Rockbar to watch an ensemble of cosplaying Drag Queens serve cosmic avenger realness on stage. Check out insane performances from the likes of Fifi Dubois, Avant Garbage, Hazel Tart and more, and be sure to participate in the stacked raffle, which benefits the Trinity Place Shelter for homeless LGBTQ youth.
Tue 4
Phoebe Robinson Launches “You Can’t Touch My Hair” Housing Works Bookstore Café; 7pm; free
To celebrate the release of her new book of personal essays You Can't Touch My Hair and Other Things I Still Have to Explain, stand-up powerhouse Phoebe Robinson speaks with the Daily Show's Hasan Minhaj about her inspirations, her podcasts and what's next.
Gilmore Girls Trivia Joshua Tree; 8pm; free
Need an excuse to rewatch Gilmore Girls before its return in November? Study up on culs de sac, fried Thanksgiving turkeys and the middling men of Rory Gilmore, because you need every bit of minutia you know to win. Gather a team of four fast-talking buddies and show off your smarts like you’re trying to impress Richard and Emily at Friday-night dinner.
Missed Connections Kraine Theater; 9pm; $20
Posts from Craigslist's notorious Missed Connections section (bad grammar and all) are the inspiration for this twice-monthly comedy show featuring a rotating cast.
Punderdome 3000 Littlefield; 8pm; $8, at the door $10
Jo Firestone and her Rodney Dangerfield impersonator father, Fred, host this beloved competition, in which the first 18 individuals or duos to sign up at the door attempt to pun-up each other's spontaneously produced word-play. Winners are determined by the "Human Clap-O-Meter" and go home with a "Mystery Box" prize.
Battle of the Divas Union Hall; 8pm; $6, at the door $8
Local comics Christi Chiello and Matteo Lane host debates, screaming matches, roasts and drag performances to determine the millennium's one true queen of pop. They welcome Bowen Yang, Matt Rogers, drag diva Dusty Boxx and DJ Shakir Standley to give each diva her due. Regardless of the outcome, you're guaranteed a "Telephone" dance party by night's end.
Wed 5
Quiet Mornings Museum of Modern Art (MoMA); 7:30am; $12
Get to MoMA for a relaxed morning of art and meditation, before the hordes of tourists take over come 10:30am. You can take your time perusing the fourth and fifth-floor galleries, passing by soothing pieces of Monet, Rothko and more. If you get saturated on art, you can head to a guided meditation in the sculpture garden at 8:30am.
Women of Letters Joe’s Pub at the Public Theater; 7pm; $20; two drink or $12 minimum
The Australian literary salon returns stateside, inviting notable women writers and performers to air their dirty laundry in the form of personal letters crafted just for the occasion. The October edition features Amber Tamblyn, Orange Is the New Black's Laura Gomez, Clinton media advisor Zerlina Maxwell, and other notable writers.
Comic Con Vixens Littlefield; 9pm; $15–$65
Now in its third year, burlesque diva Dangrrr Doll’s ingenious geek revue promises to take striptease parodies of X-Men, Stranger Things and Game of Thrones to an even more bodacious level. This year’s tassel-twirling stars include Stella Chuu, Sweetpea, Michael Karas, Nona Narcisse and more.
The Poetry Cabaret House of Yes; 8pm; $30–$75
The House of Yes transforms into a literary bordello at this sultry event featuring live jazz, burlesque, vaudeville, aerial performances, fortune-tellers and more. Poets offer up their verses throughout the evening, and for a small fee you can sneak away for a private reading with any of the night's bards.
Cryptozoology: Fact and Fiction Morbid Anatomy Museum; 7pm; $8
Author and historian Daniel Braum talks the Yeti, Sasquatch, Loch Ness Monster and beyond at this illustrated lecture on the bizarre and unseen creatures that lurk among us.
Nationals: An Amateur Comedy Dance Competition Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre; 11pm; $5
Hosts Dara Katz and Betsy Kenney have recruited some of the city's most medicore dance crews to face off for eternal glory (and retribution for being picked on at middle school dances). Big name guest judges preside over the cabbage patches and stanky legs. Beware of sprains.
Blunderbuss Comedy Show Sid Gold’s Request Room; 7pm; $5–$12
Dylan Palladino and friends take the Sid's stage for stand-up followed by drunk karaoke (is there any other kind?). This edition celebrates Palladino's birthday and features Anish Mitra, Gene Getman, Gracie Canaan, Usama Siddiquee and more.
Giggles N’ Cream VIII Village Lantern; 8pm; free
Show up to laugh into your ice cream, because it's better than crying. Jesse Eigner hosts this sweet free night of comedy featuring Michael Brigante, Eugene T. Barnes, Bob Hansen, Corinne Fisher and Shane Torres.
Thu 6
Anime Dance Music’s Annual NYCC Party Open House; 8pm; $5, at the door $10
Cosplayers get reduced entry prices to this celebration Anime’s kinetic and vibrant culture. DJ Contro1Freak spins poppy jams inspired by your favorite Japanese toons, from Sailor Moon to Naruto, sending die-hard fans into a dancefloor frenzy.
New York Comic Con Javits Center; 10am; $40
This glorious geek assembly brings in more than 151,000 visitors, beating San Diego Comic-Con and making NYCC the second-biggest event in the city. Wear a Batman T-shirt or a full cape-and-cowl at this packed pop culture mecca, where anyone can be a superhero.
PlayFest: Made in New York The Paley Center for Media; 6:30pm; $50
Immerse yourself in the world of addictive television at PaleyFest, where TV's biggest names convene for panel discussions and audience Q&As. Check out panels on Homeland, Quantico, Younger, The Daily Show with Trevor Noah and more at this year's fest.
Sweet Nothings American Jewish Historical Society; 6:30pm; $10
What Jew Wanna Eat blogger Amy Kritzer launches her new book of Jewish dessert recipes Sweet Noshings at the American Jewish Historical Society. Over a baking demonstration, Kritzer will talk about recipes and favorite baking techniques, and attendees get to taste some of her creations as the talk progresses.